Zainab Farhan is a BA-LLB graduate of the Lahore University of Management Sciences, with a focus on Business and Trade Law, Competition Law, and Public-Private Partnerships. Her academic training included courses like International Business Transactions, which provided an in-depth understanding of how banking channels operate in cross-border trade and of the industry practices and regulatory frameworks governing shipping and maritime law. This was complemented by a rigorous study of core commercial statutes such as the Sale of Goods Act 1930 and the Contract Act 1872, equipping her to navigate both domestic commercial matters and the operational realities of international trade. Zainab has conducted research on the EU’s Generalized Scheme of Preferences (GSP+) and the UK’s Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS), assessing their impact on Pakistan’s market access and trade competitiveness.

She has interned in multiple practice areas. At Mohsin Tayebaly & Co., she assisted in competition law matters, including CCP applications and pre-merger compliance, and advised on regulatory requirements under the State Bank’s Foreign Exchange Manual. At RIAA Barker Gillette, she contributed to employment law advisory for a multinational pharmaceutical company and developed regulatory guidance under the OGRA framework. While at Raja Muhammad Akram & Co., she supported the enforcement of an international arbitral award, undertaking detailed legal research and statutory interpretation to fortify client positions. At Nestlé Pakistan, she worked in the labour and employment function, assisting in the resolution of employee grievance cases, advising on compliance with applicable labour legislation, and supporting HR processes to ensure alignment with statutory and compliance requirements.

Building on her academic grounding in commercial law, she is currently working on matters relating to the Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) regulatory framework. Her work involves drafting and negotiating sector-specific agreements as well as handling litigation and arbitration matters. She provides legal advisory support on the design and implementation of Corporate Compliance Structures and assists the Punjab Public-Private Partnership Authority with project structuring and statutory limitations. She also works on commercial contracts across multiple industries.